Electrical connectors are used in a wide variety of applications for making electrical contacts within an electrical system or between electrical systems. In a typical arrangement, an electrical connector has a mating portion with a plurality of electrical contacts arranged therein. The mating portion is configured to be fit to a mating connector. When the mating connector is not fit into the mating portion, however, the mating portion is exposed. Thus, foreign matter may enter the exposed mating portion and adhere to the contacts, whereby electrical connection may be interrupted or compromised when the mating portion is fit to the mating connector.
To protect the electrical connector from foreign matter, it may be provided with a shutter that has a pair of shutter members covering the mating portion and configured to freely open and close.
When a mating connector is mated with an electrical connector connected to a circuit board, for example, the mating connector having electric charge may cause electrostatic discharge between the contacts of the electrical connector and the mating connector and may cause damage to components on the circuit board connected to the electrical connector. A conductor connected to the ground line of a circuit board may be disposed in front of the connector contacts to discharge the mating connector. Consequently, electrostatic discharge that may occur during mating is redirected to the conductor.
In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector with a shutter that both prevents foreign matter from adhering to contacts and prevents electrostatic discharge from causing damage to an electronic circuit associated with the electrical connector.